Will You Be There
by Squallster
Summary: Pre-Mansion. While on a mission Jill falls through the floor of a building and suffers severe brain damage. Meanwhile, Chris feels that its his fault for not being able to get to her in time, so he begins to get down about it.
1. Chp 1: Searching the Forest

**Will You Be There**

A Fanfiction by Squallster

_For Artichoke, the one who inspired this idea._

A/N: This is my first fanfic and is going to be relatively short. The plot is quite simple, while on a mission Jill falls through the floor of a building and suffers severe brain damage. Meanwhile, Chris feels that its his fault for not being able to get to her in time, so he begins to get down about it. Also, it's set Pre-Mansion, for those who like those kind of stories.

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**Chapter One: Searching the Forest**

Staring up at the evening sky as the rest of Alpha Team descended from the helicopter that was above the forest top, S.T.A.R.S. Officer Christopher Redfield let out a heavy sigh as he noticed that it looked as if it might start raining soon. He hadn't really dressed for weather compensation and since he was wearing a short sleeve shirt he was positive that he was going to catch a cold from all of this, which sucked.

Turning to face the rest of the team he watched as Joseph Frost, the latest addition to Alpha, was the last one to disconnect from the rappelling gear and then the helicopter headed west.

It left them in complete darkness except for the light that was coming from the setting sun to their left. Chris reached into his vest pocket and pulled a flashlight from it, after checking to make sure that it was in working order he walked over to where Captain Wesker and Barry stood at. Aside from the two, Chris really didn't know the other two members of the team; Joseph and Jill. He was trying to get to know the two, but all he was able to get out of Joseph was drinks at J's Bar and Jill wasn't interested in much of the stuff he liked.

But he was still trying, after this mission him and Jill were going out to eat. It was nothing formal or a date. No. He was simply trying to get to know the only female on the team, Jill was an attractive person but he was sure that she had no concern with starting a relationship with anyone that she worked with.

"So, what's the first objective?" Joseph whispered. A barely audible noise in the surrounding forest.

Looking around, Chris noticed just how dense the forest was. It wasn't that the forest was dying, after all it was Fall of 1997, but it was as if the life itself was dead. There were no crickets chirping in the afternoon sky, no howling from any wildlife. It was just deserted.

_Where is everything?_

This thought made him feel uneasy, but he knew that it was probably nothing. They could easily be in hibernation and as of the moment it was none of his concern. They were out here looking for a criminal, so he needed to be on alert and keep his whit's about him.

"Okay, team." Wesker said as he looked down at a map that he had brought with him. "The Oswald Warehouse should be up ahead, it's where the suspect is believe to be hiding at."

"You're sure?" Chris asked skeptically.

Wesker nodded. "I'm positive. Now everyone be on guard, this guy is extremely dangerous."

There were nods from the four members.

Starting forward, Chris slowly pulled his Beretta from his holster and looked it over. It was just back from the gun shop after being worked on by Kendo and he was looking to test it out, to see how much better it was than the last time he held it. Aiming in front of him Chris walked in between Barry and Joseph as they began their path through the forest to where the abandoned factory was at. Looking to his right at Joseph he couldn't help but smirk, the kid had just transferred from Bravo Team and already felt like he was a natural member of their team.

Coming to a small clear, Wesker put up his left hand to signal for them to stop and then he scanned the area. Chris didn't blame him though. The last thing they wanted right now was to fall into a trap that anyone had set for them, especially if it got one of them injured. They'd end up having to wrap up the mission and at the same time worry about the condition of one of their team members.

Off to the left of the clearing was a downed power line, which when he walked over to it and further examined it saw that it was still conducting power to somewhere. The thought then occurred to him that it had probably been wired to provide power to the warehouse they were looking for.

"Captain, look at this." Chris called out to Wesker.

Joining Chris, Wesker checked out what he had found. "Good observation Chris, let's follow the lines. It should give us a better path to the warehouse."

As they continued their walk through the forest, he noticed as they proceeded forward how closed up the forest was in this part. It was like someone had bunched them up together to try and conceal something that they didn't want others to know.

It made Chris wonder if this was the place they were looking for. It was after all a building, rust covered metal and looked as if someone hadn't operated it in a long time.

A perfect place for someone to hide.

Advancing towards the building, Chris and Joseph took up point near the door while Wesker approached. Jill and Barry were in the back, keeping an eye on their surroundings incase he was actually out in the woods instead of inside the building. Placing a hand on the doorknob Wesker yanked it open and moved in, Chris following in behind him with the others following.

Inside was an industrial equipment room, rusted pipes hanging down from the ceiling and water dripping from them in an arithmetic tone. Chris stepped further into the room and took the right side while Wesker and Joseph moved forward, Barry taking the left and Jill following Chris.

Up ahead was a rusting steel door and when the duo walked up to it Chris placed his ear against it to listen for any noise on the other side. To his astonishment Chris could hear a generator running, which let him know that there was probably someone or something on the other side of the door. Placing his hand on the door he pushed it open and moved in, gun at the ready and with Jill moving in as his back up. After sweeping the room for any threats Chris saw that the room was clear of any threats.

Looking around the room he saw that they were in a storage room, there were stacked up crates against the wall to their right and there was another door next to it that he didn't know what it led to. As he began to start across the room he also noticed something very wrong with the floor, there was a gaping hole in it and it looked very unstable, it looked as if at any moment it would cave in.

He turned to Jill.

"Watch out for that hole,"

Jill nodded.

Moving over the edge of the room, Chris kept his Beretta trained on the door but also made sure to keep as far away from the crumbling foundation of the floor as possible. Approaching the door he looked back at Jill who nodded in approval of him opening the door and he yanked it open, stumbling back as a set of brooms fell out and onto the floor. Jumping to his feet Chris looked at Jill who was stifling a grin, he felt completely embarrassed.

"Just a closet," He mumbled.

Jill nodded and grinned. "Well, we should go find the others. Hopefully they found something." Starting back across the room Jill turned back to him. "I think that—"

-before Jill could even finish her sentence the floor gave away. Crumbling beneath her the floor literally exploded, Jill falling through and disappearing beneath the dust that was kicked up from the rubble beneath. In the split second it took for him to run to the edge of the gaping pit he saw that there was no sigh of Jill at all.

"Jill!".


	2. Chp 2: Emergency Evac

A/N: Many thanks to those who reviewed the first chapter. Although this is my first fanfic I feel that it's going to be a very good piece of work. Many of you probably don't know this but this isn't my best work. This is just something to get me started in the community and let me know how I stand as far as creativeness. Once again, thanks and enjoy!

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**Chapter Two: Emergency Evac**

"Jill!"

After the dust had settled Chris saw just how bad the damage was. What had once been a very unstable floor was now a pit riddled with broken stone, pipes, and heavy debris, but no sign of Jill. Holstering his gun Chris started down into the hole, careful in his descent so that he himself wouldn't fall through any loose holes in the floor. Plus, he had to find Jill and make sure she was okay.

Placing his hands beneath a slab of concrete Chris struggled to lift it up, his face sheening with sweat and then shoved it to the side as he began to push away dirt and small chunks of rock. Scrambling to lift a porcelain pipe that cut deep into his hands, but he didn't let it stop him and he continued with his search through the rubble.

Tossing another piece of concrete to the side he felt all the breath leave his body at the sight before him. He had found Jill. She was laying on her side, half covered in debris and a trail of blood was coming down from the side of her hair. Her face was smeared with dirt and Chris could see that she wasn't conscious, but she was breathing, so he was very thankful for that. Hoisting her arm over his shoulder Chris pulled up and lifted her up from the rubble. Once he was out of the hole he laid her on the ground, and checked her pulse. It was weak, something must have happened when she fell. Her head was bleeding, so that probably was why.

Tilting her head back he ran a finger across the wound on her head and sighed when he felt that it was about one quarter of an inch deep.

She was going to need an emergency evac and now.

Grabbing his radio, Chris pressed the send button.

"Captain Wesker, this is Chris." He spoke hurriedly. "We need an emergency evac, Jill's been hurt. I don't know what it is but she's bleeding from her left temple pretty badly."

_**"Roger that, Chris."**_ Wesker said calmly.

With relief flooding through him, all Chris could do right now was keep his entire attention on Jill. If something worse than what was already happening right now went on then he was going to feel like it was his fault. Hell, he already felt as if it were his fault. Maybe if he'd been a second quicker she wouldn't be on the verge of dying. She wouldn't have a hole in her head as if someone had shot her. He was sure that it was severe, it scared him though. If something happened to her it was going to be his fault.

Looking around the room Chris felt a chill go down his spine at remembering where they were and what they were doing there. What if the suspect tried to get to them while they waited for Brad to come back? Would Chris be able to defend Jill _and_ worry with the man at the same time? It was probably foolish of him to think that, but at the moment he couldn't think of anything else.

From behind him the door opened and Chris reflexively pulled his Beretta and aimed at the door, only to see that it was Joseph. He put up his arms in fright, only to lower them once Chris lowered his gun.

"How is she doing?" Joseph asked as he shouldered his shotgun.

Chris shrugged. "She's breathing, but unconscious. We've got to get her out of here quickly."

"Brad was reentering the forest when we called in, he should be here in a minute." Joseph said as he began to work on covering up the wound.

Joseph tore a piece of cloth from his shirts sleeve and then wrapped it around her forehead. Within seconds it had already soaked through but for now there was nothing that they could do.

Outside the sound of a helicopter could be heard and Chris sighed with relief at finally knowing that they were going to get Jill out of here. Fuck the mission. Their top priority right now was to get Jill safely back to Raccoon City and to the hospital so that she could be taken in to be operated on to see what was wrong with her.

Putting his arms up under her, Chris lifted Jill up carefully and then him and Joseph started for the door. Brad had been at the R.P.D. when they had called in the evac from what Joseph was telling him as they walked, so he was sure that there was a group of EMT's with Brad. Rushing over to the door he kicked it open and heard gunfire from behind them, possibly in the connecting hallway to the main hall of the warehouse.

"What the hell was that?" Joseph whispered.

"I don't know,"

Chris rushed out to where the helicopter was looming overhead at and waved his free hand in the air. There was no way for the helicopter to land but there was a gurney being lowered down for him to place her on and once it was down he gently laid her in it then signaled for them to lift her up. Watching it go up, Chris began to wonder how long it would be before they got her back to the city. It made his mind swirl with thoughts of her dying, of them not getting back in time when suddenly he heard more gunshots behind him in the warehouse.

From behind a elder man came running out of the door, he wielded a .357 Magnum in one hand and had a bullet hole in his left arm. When he saw Chris and Joseph he went to raise his gun but Chris was quicker than him, taking a shot at his kneecap and blowing a hole right through it. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground, Joseph kicked the gun away from his hand and began to cuff him.

With their target apprehended Chris sighed with relief as Barry and Captain Wesker came running out of the warehouse, Barry was holding his arm and blood was running down it. Obviously the suspect had gotten the best of them somehow, and had tried to make his escape. Unfortunately Chris and Joseph had been there to stop him.

"Good job you guys," Barry said as he winced in pain at the wound in his arm. "How's Jill?"

"They just left with her," Chris replied.

"Well we got Ackles, we should probably head back in as well." Wesker said calmly as he stared down at the suspect.

Chris nodded.

Wesker was right. Now that they had Ackles in custody they could head back into town and lock him up for the rest of his life, then Chris and the others could go to the hospital and check on Jill. He was sure that Bravo Team had already learned of what had happened and were on their way up to the hospital at this moment.

Grabbing Ackles by his forearm he lifted the man up to his feet and then began to walk beside him with Joseph on the other side while Wesker called in to the R.P.D. for Edward to come pick them up. Now that the mission was wrapped up they could head in and get the hell out of this creepy forest. All Chris wanted to do when he got back was go see Jill.

And once they got back, he'd be able to ease his mind. He had paperwork to do, that was a no brainer once they got back to the office. It was standard procedure and it needed to be done before anything else could be done.

Chris knew that it was his fault that she was hurt and if something happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.


End file.
